Genealogy Class at the Bellevue Public Library on May 13 and 15

Don't miss a great opportunity to learn the basics of genealogy at the Bellevue Public Library!
Sessions will be held on May 13 and May 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room at -224 East Main Street in Bellevue, Ohio.

Mrs. Laura Helen Wilcox Sloane, 1872-1909

Laura Helen Wilcox was born on January 5, 1872 to Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Wilcox. R.M. Wilcox was the proprietor of a popular dry goods and department store in downtown Sandusky. An article in the January 31, 1891 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that Laura Wilcox had recently accepted the position of organist at the Presbyterian Church in Sandusky.  In 1892, Laura Helen Wilcox married Frank G. Sloane.

In 1900, Laura and Frank Sloane's daughter Esther was born. She was to be their only child. On April 30, 1909, Laura Helen Wilcox Sloane died from tuberculosis at the age of 37 years. She was buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. She left behind her husband Frank, and her young daughter Esther. Funeral services for Mrs. Laura Sloane were held at the family residence on Franklin Street. Though Laura's life was brief, she touched many lives and had a rich, full life.

Mappy Monday: Big Map Blog

While browsing around for maps online, I came across the Big Map Blog. Click here to read more about the Big Map Blog. You can browse all maps, or search by location. One of my favorite maps at this site is Ruger's Map of Sandusky, Ohio from 1870.

Use the zoom feature for a closer look of a specific portion of the map. In the close up view below, Number 7 is an image of Emmanuel Church, Number 6 is the Sandusky High School, and Number 13 is Grace Episcopal Church.

Check out the Big Map Blog, and you may find maps of interest from your family's hometown! Contact the curator of the Big Map Blog if you are interested in ordering prints of the maps found at this terrific website.

Sibling Saturday: Parker Brothers

Pictured above are the three sons of my great grandparents, Leroy and Ada (Steen) Parker about 1910. From left to right are Steen Parker, my maternal grandfather, and his brothers baby Paul Parker, and Glenn Parker. This picture (a digital copy of a photocopy) was taken before their baby sister Janet Parker was born. These little boys grew up on a farm in Perkins Township of Erie County, Ohio. Grandpa Steen Parker  died before I was born, but I fondly remember my great uncles, and Aunt Janet too. Uncle Paul Parker was married to Aunt Maribel, and he was always jovial, with a funny story to tell. Uncle Glenn was a longtime employee of Barr Rubber, and he also drove bus for Perkins Township schools. Uncle Glenn seemed more serious, and he took his responsibility as a Perkins Township Trustee very seriously. Below is a family group sheet for the Parker family.

My great grandparents, and all of their children, are buried in the Parker family lot at Perkins Cemetery.

Tombstone Tuesday: De Witt Clinton Ruff

According to HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO,  De Witt Clinton Ruff was born on February 12, 1858 in Canada, to Christopher and Emma (Ayling) Ruff. Christopher Ruff moved his family to Sandusky, Ohio, where he was in the furniture and undertaking business for several years. In 1878, De Witt Clinton Ruff became a partner in his father's business. The advertisement below appeared in the January 15, 1890 issue of the Sandusky Register.

After losing the business to a fire in the 1890s, both Christopher and De Witt Clinton Ruff moved to the state of Minnesota. Pictured below is a page from the Ramsey County, Minnesota State Census in 1895. D.W.C. Ruff is residing in St. Paul, Minnesota with his mother, his wife, and a servant. At this time, Mr. Ruff was working as a real estate agent, and his mother was a widow by this time.

The Florida Deaths database at FamilySearch lists the date of death of Dewitt C. Ruff as April 22, 1937, in Duval County, Florida. His remains were returned to Sandusky, Ohio for burial at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Using Pinterest to Organize Cemetery Pictures

Though I am an amateur at both blogging and at creating Pinterest Boards, I found images of angels and sculptures from cemeteries around the Sandusky Bay area to created a themed Pinterest Board. The url for this board is:

http://www.pinterest.com/dfromohio/angels-and-cemetery-sculptures-in-erie-county/

You could create your own Pinterest boards with your cemetery pictures, and sort them by cemetery, surname, or other themes. Pinterest is also a great tool to use for sorting vintage family photos by surname as well! Happy pinning!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from the Graveyard Rabbit
of Sandusky Bay!

Shopping Saturday: Dye Easter Eggs with Dye from Osberg's Drug Store

In the delightful advertisement above, which appeared in the March 30, 1904 issue of the Sandusky Register, area residents were urged to purchase dyes from Osberg's Drug Store in the Odd Fellows Temple building in Sandusky. There were colors from sky blue to scarlet, all said to be harmless, permanent, and fast!

Dr. F.M. Houghtaling, 1871-1940

Though his tombstone lists his birth year as 1871, the death certificate of Dr. Frederick Morrel Houghtaling states that he was born on July 3, 1869. His birthplace was Somerset, New York, and his parents were Irvin and Harriet (Dates) Houghtaling.  Dr. Houghtaling was a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins Medial School. During World War One, Dr. F.M. Houghtaling was a First Lieutenant in the Medical Corps. After the war, Dr. Houghtaling had a medical practice in Huron, Ohio. In 1922, Dr. F.M. Houghtaling was appointed Health Commissioner for the city of Sandusky. In 1926, Dr. Houghtaling became  Health Commissioner of the combined city and county health departments.  Dr. Houghtaling was considered a specialist in public health, and he was very well respected in the community. He was a member of the state and national medical associations, as well as the Erie County Medical Society. After a lengthy illness, Dr. F. M. Houghtaling died at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio on April 17, 1940. He was survived by his wife Mina, and his daughter, Mrs. Richard Feick. An obituary for Dr. Houghtaling appeared in the April 18, 1940 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. Mrs. Mina (Armstrong) Houghtaling passed away on June 21, 1953. Dr. and Mrs. Houghtaling are buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A medical staff is inscribed on the Houghtaling tombstone, paying tribute Dr. Houghtaling's many years of service in the medical field.

"Death of Well Known Citizen"

Perry G. Walker died in Sandusky, Ohio on April 14, 1907. An obituary for Perry G. Walker appeared in the April 15, 1907 issue of the Sandusky Register. A transcription of the obituary reads:

Death of Well Known Citizen
Perry G. Walker Passed Peacefully Away at His Home Sunday Afternoon

Perry G. Walker, one of Sandusky's pioneer and respected citizens, died suddenly Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at his home, 335 Huron Avenue. Death was due to neuralgia of the heart. For many years Mr. Walker's health was very poor, he being afflicted with nervous troubles. Of late years, however, he had been in comparatively good health. He had a slight attack of neuralgia of the heart about a week ago but his physician, Dr. E. Gillard, successfully treated him. Saturday he was up and about his home. Sunday morning, although he did not leave his bed, he seemed entirely free from pain. He did not appear to be suffering and at noon his daughter, Mrs. M. Gallup, went to his room and asked him what he wished for dinner. Later she went up with a light lunch and found him dead in bed.

Mr. Walker was 75 years of age and had resided in this city since comparatively a young man. he was a thorough accountant and often was engaged in settling up estates, giving a great deal of time to work at that character. For a number of years he was also connected with lake marine interests.

Perry G. Walker was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Mrs. Minerva Bell Beebe Lindsley, 1803-1888

Minerva Bell was born on May 5, 1803. According to the June 1865 issue of the Firelands Pioneer, she was a daughter of pioneer settler in Perkins Township, Eleizer Bell.  Also in this issue of the Firelands Pioneer, is an interesting story about how Minerva once out-shouted a panther. Minerva Bell and William Beebe were married on September 27, 1818, in Huron County, Ohio. They had a large family of several children. After the death of William Beebe in 1836, Mrs. Minerva Bell Beebe married William Dell Lindsley. Minerva and William D. Lindsley had two children: Alice Lindsley later Mrs. Wheeler, and Solon Lindsley.  Minerva Bell Beebe Lindsley died on April 10, 1888. She was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Dr. George A. Bachmayer, 1866-1929

Dr. George A. Bachmayer died on April 7, 1929, at his Elm Street home in Lima, Ohio, after having had diabetes for many years. According to an obituary for Dr. Bachmayer, which appeared in the Lima News on April 8, 1929, Dr. Bachmayer had been widely known in the Lima area. George A. Bachmayer graduated from the college of pharmacy at Ohio Northern University, and he later graduated from the Starling Medical College of Ohio State University. He first practiced medicine at Hume, Ohio, and then he moved to Lima, Ohio, where he practiced medicine for twenty seven years. Dr. Bachmayer had been a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Woodmen of America, Grace M.E. Church, and the Allen County Academy of Medicine. He was survived by a widow and a daughter, Ruth. Funeral services for Dr. George A. Bachmayer were held at Grace M.E. Church, with Rev. W.T. Blume officiating, and burials was in Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. Dr. Bachmayer had been born in Sandusky, Ohio, shortly after the end of the Civil War.

Mr. and Mrs. Casper J. Parsons

Casper J. Parsons was born in the early 1820s in Baden, Germany. In the 1860 U.S. Census for Erie County, Ohio, Casper J. Parsons and his wife, the former Fredericka/Fridericka Boos were residing in Sandusky, Ohio with their four children, ranging in age from 2 to 14. The 1855 Sandusky City Directory lists Casper J. Parsons as a wholesale liquor dealer, in business with a Mr. Smith at 210 Water Street in downtown Sandusky. Casper J. Parsons was also a trustee for the Sandusky City Council in 1855. Casper J. Parsons died on January 13, 1873, as a result of consumption. He was buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A masonic emblem is found at the top of the stone of Mr. Parsons. At the base of his tombstone is an excerpt from Psalm 23:

For though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Mrs. Fredericka/Fridericka Boos Parsons passed away on April 2, 1887. The tombstones of Mr. and Mrs. Casper J. Parsons are found in Block 62 of Oakland Cemetery.

Tombstone Tuesday: Rollin and Louise Rife

Rollin J. Rife was born in Seneca County, Ohio on October 19, 1862. From about 1884 to 1891, Mr. Rife sold pianos and organs in Sandusky, Ohio. On June 9, 1887, Rollin J. Rife married Louise Gilcher, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gilcher, who were pioneer residents of Erie County, Ohio. On April 2, 1891, Rollin J. Rife died, after suffering from complications of diabetes. Mr. Rife had not yet reached his 30th birthday at the time of his death. Mrs. Louise (Gilcher) Rife lived to be 91 years old. She died on February 23, 1952. Mrs. Rife had been a charter member of the Sandusky Garden Club. She was survived by her daughter, Mrs. Thomas O. Edwards, and nieces and nephews. Rollin J. and Louise Rife were buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.